Around the World Roundup: 'Bourne' Stays in Charge

by Conor Bresnan

Matt Damon in The Bourne Ultimatum

October 3, 2007

The Bourne Ultimatum led the international box office again over the weekend with $9.6 million from 47 markets for a $162.8 million total. The action thriller's only opening was in Cyprus, so its gross was carried by holdover markets, now in their third or more weekends. South Korea was the picture's stand-out market with a $1.6 million third weekend from 228 screens for an impressive $12.4 million total.

I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry rose to second place with $8.8 million from 35 territories for a $37.6 million total. The Adam Sandler comedy's openings in Germany ($3 million from 495 screens), Mexico ($1.3 million from 305) and Sweden ($215,511 from 42) bested his previous comedy Click. Chuck, though, continued to disappoint elsewhere, including soft starts in Malaysia ($162,572 from 30 screens) and Denmark ($101,109 from 20) and even worse holds in Hong Kong (down 92 percent in its third weekend) and Argentina (down 46 percent in its second weekend).

Resident Evil: Extinction landed in third with $7.6 million from 10 markets for a $19.2 million total. In Thailand, the zombie sequel generated an enormous $1.5 million from 203 screens, almost doubling Resident Evil: Apocalypse. Extinction saw less business than Apocalypse in Germany, but still earned a solid $1.3 million from 250 screens. In line with the genre's history, drop off rates were high, such as Mexico's 45 percent and Russia's 61 percent.

Relying on strong returns from old markets, fourth-ranked Ratatouille bagged $6.6 million from 34 countries for a $224.5 million total. Norway was the movie's only new market, where it opened to an unimpressive $686,931 from 102 screens. That was in line with The Incredibles and a long run is expected.

With a 15-territory expansion, The Brave One claimed fifth place with $6.6 million for an early $8.2 million total. In Spain, the vigilante drama opened in second with $1.2 million from 305 screens and it was third in France with $1.1 million from 277 screens. The picture played to moderate levels elsewhere as well, including Germany ($1.1 million from 401 screens) and Italy (a meager $894,000 from 253 screens).

Debuting internationally, Lust, Caution wowed in its first three markets, all in Asia. In Taiwan, the erotic drama raked in $3 million, which was in line with Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Transformers. It impressed in Hong Kong as well with $1.5 million, which was just 16 percent lower than Transformers. In Malaysia, it had a more down-to-earth launch in third place with $47,565 from 16 screens.

Several other pictures had their foreign premiers as well. Halloween, Michael Clayton and Mr. Woodcock kicked off in the United Kingdom. The horror remake led them all with a disappointing $1.3 million from 372 screens, while Michael Clayton made a modest $1.2 million from 295 screens and Mr. Woodcock disappointed with an eighth-ranked $1 million from 238 screens.

Meanwhile, crime dramas Before the Devil Knows Your Dead and Eastern Promises also commenced their overseas campaigns. Before the Devil opened in France with a mediocre $510,695 from 118 screens while Promises surprised in Denmark with a strong $404,842 from 32 screens to rank first.